Losing faith
by GB Rose
Summary: Some familar faces, more big, bad villains and of course, our favorite band of heroes come together once again. What if the unimaginable happened to Lloyd? How will the group cope? Most importantly, how will Lloyd cope?
1. Default Chapter

Ok, this is my first TOS fic and I hope it goes well. It's partly inspired by a dream I had and partly my own creativeness. Personally, I dislike my writing but really wanted to do this story, I just wish I had better words to describe things, ya know? So, anyways, On with the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything important relating to Tales of Symphonia, I just want to write my story!

**Chapter One**

"Why are you making me do this?" Lloyd whined as Dirk sent him outside to chop wood.

"You need to contribute more to the household, now that you're an adult and all." Dirk replied.

Lloyd sighed in frustration. He couldn't really argue with his dad about that or the situation could get worse. Lloyd used the opportunity to practice some of his rarely used fighting skills and took advantage of the task by cutting the wood using some of his favorite moves. Using the techniques brought up memories of when he needed these skills to survive. It filled him with sorrow because it made him remember the absence of Kratos, and how rarely he got to see Genis and Raine. He still saw quite a lot of Sheena and Colette and had occasional visits from everyone else.

Feeling rejuvenated, Lloyd finished the task, and set out to look around Iselia for a bit. As he walked towards the village, he passed by the demolished human ranch. Unable to contain his curiosity, he walked over to reminisce. The rubble was still strewn about the ground but the villagers of Iselia had plans to clean it up and turn it into a giant memorial. The sun lit up the surrounding area and created an aura of peacefulness. This was offset by the rubble and would have been a perfect place to relax. The rubble had an alternate role however, it served as a reminder that no matter how beautiful a place may look, there had to have been a price to pay. The destroyed ranch was proof of this rule. Lloyd looked down as his exsphere glinted from it's spot on the back of his hand. It was the only momento of his mother and served as a reminder that his father was Kratos.

As he continued to walk, something caught his eye. Among the overgrown weeds, a small shiny object blinked, catching Lloyd's attention. Lloyd walked over and picked it up. It was an exsphere. He knew that it should be destroyed, he had seen first hand the chaos it could cause but on the other hand, struggled with other feelings. He knew of the manner that an exsphere was created and was aware that a human soul resided within each exsphere. After a moment of hesitation, Lloyd unsheathed his twin blades and destroyed the gem. He felt relieved and content that the soul was now free to move on.

As he turned to leave, he almost bumped into someone standing directly behind him. It was Botta of the renegades. "If it isn't the son of Kratos, I knew you'd stop by here eventually."

Lloyd was confused for a moment. "I thought you were dead! I'm so glad you're allright!" he exclaimed.

"Do not get so excited Lloyd, for I am not your friend. I have come with a message for you. This battle is not yet over, say your goodbye's now, for there is an even greater enemy awaiting you. They do not settle for anything less than what they want. At the moment, what they want is you."

Shocked, Lloyd was unable to speak at first. "Why would anyone want to keep fighting? Tethe'alla and Sylvarant are finally one again! People are happy. If you are my enemy, why give me a warning?"

"My master enjoys a challenge. Now go! Gather up those who would help you in your fight to keep this world peaceful." Botta disappeared as quickly as he had appeared, leaving Lloyd to decide what to do next.

_I have to talk to dad, but I should also let the old group know as well._ Lloyd felt excited that a new journey would be awaiting him soon but also could not help the feeling of foreboding that was welling up inside of him.

On his way back to Iselia, he was greeted by Colette. She immediately picked up on the fact that he had to tell her something important.

"Let's go for a walk Lloyd. I want to know about your day."

The moon had just begun to rise as the two of them set off. The light was just enough to show the path through the woods that the two would be taking. Lloyd was telling Colette about revisiting the human ranch and the appearance of Botta. She became upset when she heard about someone trying to break the peacefulness of the now joined worlds.

"We have to stop them! If we tell Sheena, the people of Mizuho will be able to get a message to Genis and Raine. Zelos is never hard to find and Regal and Presea will be at Altamira."

"Sounds good, I just wish I could get a message to Kra—"

Colette stopped and turned around to see Lloyd standing completely still with Botta to his right.Botta had some type of magical attack readied and pointed at Lloyd. "The master has revoked the earlier decision and decided to deal with you now. Come along quietly and nothing unfortunate will happen to you or Colette."

"Why are you doing this? Let Lloyd go. You were our ally once! You can't just switch sides! Please don't do this!" Colette pleaded.

Lloyd looked over to Colette and winked. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." He relaxed slightly and spoke to Botta. "Let's go but leave Colette alone."

"Very well. Say Goodbye to Lloyd, it's likely to be the last time you see him." Botta disappeared, taking Lloyd with him, without waiting for Colette's reaction.

Tears gathered at the corner of her eyes but she angrily brushed them away. This was not the time for tears. She had to let the others know so they could save Lloyd. Despite her attempts, the tears slowly made their way down her face. Colette turned and made her way as quickly as possible back to Iselia.

Well, there's chapter one. I wanted to put a little more to set the story in there but it'll just have to go into ch.2. I hoped you enjoyed it so far and please review! I'll update as quickly as possible as long as I know someone is interested. Constructive criticism is welcomed, just be nice! Until next chapter waves


	2. Ch 2 the story unfolds some more

I'm so sorry, everyone! I had written out the beginning to the story…the first 3 chapters or so on paper and I lost them! Also, my classes this semester have been a little more challenging than last and I almost removed the story. No worries, I will make it a goal to update at LEAST once a week.

Colette ran as quickly as she could towards Iselia. Her thoughts jumbled about in her mind and she desperately tried to clear them. She wouldn't be able to help anyone if she couldn't properly think or form a sentence. She stopped for a moment and leaned against a tree and tried to catch her breath. As she focused on breathing normally, unrestrained tears began trailing down her face. She bitterly wiped them away and felt a wave of chills overtake her. Something was watching her.

A set of eyes focused on the exhausted girl. He couldn't have had better luck. Stealthily, he moved in closer until he was within touching distance. He reached out to grab her and she bolted out from under his hands. She tripped over a protruding tree root and he caught her before she hit the ground. She stood up quickly with his arms still holding her tight and did the only thing that came to mind. She tried to throw an elbow back at her attacker but that was easily dodged. In the next instant, she dropped to the ground and slipped out of the circle of arms. She was just about to run off again, when her attacker spoke.

"Colette! Calm down. It's just me, Kratos."

Her eyes widened, and her face broke out in a grin, troubles temporarily forgotten. She rushed up to him and embraced him in a hug. Kratos stood there for a moment, unused to this kind of contact. He brought his arms up around her and patted her back. He was glad to see her, but hugs just weren't his thing. Then, for no reason, she burst into tears. Kratos was confused at this sudden mood change. He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away so he could look into her face.

"What's going on?" He asked her.

"It's terrible! Lloyd…he's….and Botta!" Colette mumbled, unable to keep her thoughts organized.

"Wait. Where's Lloyd?" Kratos asked the blonde angel.

"Botta took him somewhere!" she yelled, frustrated.

"I knew he was too stubborn to die, but to take Lloyd…it is an unforgivable act."

"I'm going to let the others know. We have to save him! I don't even know why they want him!" Colette cried out.

"Gather the others, I will go on ahead."

"Let me come with you." She pleaded.

"No, there would be no one to warn the others. Plus, I work better alone. It's nothing against you, it's just a preference of mine."

"Okay, but we'll catch up with you right away."

As she turned to resume her return to Iselia, she was going to ask Kratos where he thought Botta may be but Kratos had already gone. Knowing that he was in such a hurry caused Colette to become even more worried.

_Lloyd, Be safe! _She mentally prayed.

Lloyd walked down a corridor, closely followed by 4 other guards. This normally would not have been a problem but they had taken away his weapons. No one had said anything to him yet as to why he was here, but the fact of the matter was that he was here, whether he liked it or not.

He was instructed to stop when they reached the holding area before the actual section of cells and he was shoved inside. Before he could react, he was pushed onto a small circle on the floor and as his feet touched the circle, a light burst forth. Lloyd began to feel exhausted and weak and slumped to the floor.

When they were sure he wouldn't be going anywhere by himself for a while, two guards helped him to stand and escorted him to his cell. The guard closest to him pulled out a large key ring and cycled through the collection until he came to the desired one. The cell door swung open and Lloyd was tossed inside. The door snapped shut and the guards left him in darkness and in silence.

The silence wasn't so bad at first. Lloyd, being the creative person he is, found ways to amuse himself, but after awhile, it started to get to him. The silence led him to think and for Lloyd, thinking was not something he excelled in. He imagined what it would be like if he didn't make it back. Would everyone gather to say something nice about him? Would they give up or cling to the idea that he was alive somewhere? Did Kratos ever think of him from his secluded home? Lloyd curled up and fell asleep to these thoughts.

"Lloyd…..hey…Lloyd. Get up!" A voice was calling him out of his sleep and he was not very happy for it. A light flashed in front of his eyes and with it, a feeling of pain. It successfully woke him up and he was left squinting at his visitor.

"Finally awake! I believe we are long over due for a chat."

Lloyd could just make out the form of Botta and the new suit he had adopted. It was all black with a red symbol on it.

"What do you want?" Lloyd spat, still angry at his betrayal.

"A friendly chat, that's all." He replied mockingly.

"Friendly, my ass. Tell me why you're holding me here." Lloyd yelled grabbing the bars.

"So, Lloyd, how's your family? Your friends?" Botta asked nonchalantly.

"Don't change the subject!" Lloyd growled.

"You don't know yet. That's great!" Botta laughed.

"I'll ask again, what do you want from me?" Lloyd asked, ignoring Botta's snide remarks.

"Well, Lloyd, you are useless, as you always are, but your exosphere has potential."

Lloyd stepped back and clutched his hand to his chest. " I won't let you take this!"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. You may not let me take it, but we will have it."

A hologram appeared in the room, summoning Botta to the main quarters, leaving Lloyd alone with his thoughts. Suddenly, there were red lights flashing accompanied by screaming sirens. Apparently, they had unwanted company. The shouts of the subordinates mixed together so that Lloyd was unable to determine what exactly the situation was.

Thinking that this would be the best time to try and escape, Lloyd attempted to break free of his cell. His fear of losing his exosphere gave him added strength but his attempts were futile. Soon, his hands were swollen and bleeding from repeatedly being bashed against the bars.

With the noise he was creating gone, he realized that it was a lot quieter outside as well. Apparently they had eliminated the threat. Light flooded his chamber once more and Lloyd figured it was Botta returning to finish their chat. He squinted up to see Kratos standing there, looking as if he owned the world. Lloyd rubbed at his eyes and stared in disbelief. What was going on?

Ok, so I have chapter three written and ready to go. I just need a few minor adjustments, (I wrote it at work and forgot a few things…lol it's amazing what you can find time to do when no one is shopping in your area. I'm a sales associate and sometimes it's so damn boring. But enough about that, Please review with your thoughts, comments, concerns etc. Am I going to fast? Too slow? Not enough detail? I'll get the next chapter up in the next day or so as an added bonus for not doing anything for the past couple weeks on here. Stick with me guys! Thank you for the reviews as well! They make me happy!


	3. Chaos Ensues

The next chapter for everyone! Thanks for being patient with me. I'm ready to pull out my hair with this new upload system. I haven't created a story since fanfic. was redone so I'm running into every imaginable problem.

And now a moment to answer a few reviews. Yes, the story of Botta's survival will show up eventually, and thanks for pointing out the Exsphere mishap. Zelos does play a part in the story, maybe I missed something, but I wasn't aware that he died. Let me know what happened in your next review, I'm extremely curious! Also, I will try to make my chapters longer as well! They seem so long hand written

**Ch. 3**

In moments, Kratos had the cell door open.

"Lloyd, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. What's going on? Why are you here?"

"I couldn't very well leave you here now, could I? I ran into Colette and she told me about the situation." Kratos answered. "Now let's get out of here before reinforcements arrive."

Lloyd walked to the door and stumbled. He stood there clutching the bars of his cell. "Do you think you could give me a hand? I haven't completely recovered my energy yet." Lloyd asked sheepishly.

Kratos lent a supporting arm to Lloyd and together they slipped out of the building. The two traveled in silence and Lloyd wondered if Kratos was actually leading them anywhere. To him, it just seemed like they were aimlessly weaving through the woods. It was Lloyd who finally broke the silence.

"Thanks for your help back there. I was really starting to get worried. I can't believe that Botta is evil now, and I also can't believe they captured me so easily. I've probably let you down, I'm so pathetic."

"You were able to preventharm to Colette and yourself. You are what you believe. Weakness is all in your mind, Lloyd. Concentrate on becoming stronger and look for the advantages of your actions."

"You're right." Lloyd said after a moment's hesitation. "I will become even stronger."

It had begun to get dark as the two talked. They decided to set up camp in a small clearing. They created a small fire and shared a small meal. Lloyd appreciatedthe small meal and desperately hoped to regain the rest of his strength. He hated looking weak in front of Kratos.

"Sleep, Lloyd. We shall take turns with the watch. You need the rest the most, so I'll wake you in a few hours."

"Thanks, Kratos." Lloyd replied as he lay down and was quickly asleep.

Kratos stayed alert but could not help gazing at his son as he slept. He wondered many things. What if he had raised Lloyd? How would things be? Not that he was complaining. Lloyd's father, Dirk, had done an excellent job. It was almost more than Kratos could have hoped for. He just wished that he had been able to be a parent to his son.

The night was quiet and provided no entertainment for Kratos. He grew bored very quickly. He waited for as long as he could before finally giving in and waking Lloyd. He should have had enough sleep by now to regain the energy they had taken from him. Kratos could only wonder what they were planning to do with his energy.

"I'm going for a quick walk. I have a few things to check up on. Stay alert."

"Right….dad." he said sleepily, taking a seat on a nearby log. Kratos glanced back quickly before heading in the opposite direction.

Lloyd sat on the log, shining up his twin blades. His watch had been uneventful and Kratos had yet to return. It would be dawn soon and Lloyd had no idea what the plan was from here on out.

The sound of footsteps to the left of his spot attracted his attention. Lloyd stood up and tried to get a view of what was making the noise. Figuring that it was probably Kratos returning from his walk, Lloyd ran out to meet him. If someone was trying to sneak up on them, they weren't very stealthy. He hadn't followed the sound very far when he came upon someone standing with their back to him. The figure seemed familiar to him somehow and he knew why when the other person turned around. It seemed as if he was staring at a mirror. The only difference that he was able to spot, was his choice of weapons. Instead of the twin blades he was currently using, the reflection was using cursed blades.

"Well, hello Lloyd. What brings you out here this early in the morning?" The fake Lloyd asked casually.

"Who or what are you? Why do you look exactly like me, and don't act so casual, it pisses me off!" Lloyd yelled.

"Do I upset you? Good, that's the least of your worries. I know that stupid look on your face. You want to know what I want, don't you? I'll give you my answer. I want that which is most precious to you. Your life, your friends, your memories, all of it. I will become you, and laugh as you suffer."

"Why do that? For what purpose?"

"To destroy them all. To see their faces as someone they trust watches them die. Oh, how joyful that will be!" laughed the evil Lloyd clone.

"You evil bastard! What makes you want to do something so cruel to me or those close to me? What have we ever done to you?" Lloyd inquired.

"You want to know what you've done?" ranted the fake Lloyd, "You were born, you breathe, and you exist. That is why I must destroy you. No more idle banter, I shall correct this, right away. Prepare yourself, Lloyd Irving!"

Lloyd drew his weapons and stood at the ready, unsure of what his enemy was going to do. He waited patiently, for his opponent to make the first move.

His opponent lunged at him and Lloyd just barely dodged out of the way. He was a little more agile than Lloyd, that's for sure. He was going to have to be extra careful. Lloyd looked down at his exsphere for a moment and attacked his opponent. It was just a quick shot. He wanted to see how the enemy fought and responded to the attack. Fighting was similar to a dance. The more agile and graceful you were, the better the chance that you could find the weakness of your opponent.

Once again, the fake Lloyd charged but didn't stop with that. An onslaught of sword thrusts and slashes ensued, keeping Lloyd on defense. As soon as Lloyd spotted an opening, he took the opportunity to attack. Soon enough, the two were locked in an intense battle, neither daring to back off for fear of allowing the enemy to land a hit. Lloyd started to worry, he was becoming exhausted and was having a hard time keeping up. His energy had just returned a few hours prior and this strenuous activity was not helping. He stumbled and just barely jerked his head out of the way, as one of the cursed blades skimmed by his face.

As much as he hated to admit it, this clone was superior to him in many ways. Plus, it knew his fighting style and was able to block almost all of his attacks. An idea popped into Lloyd's mind. Perhaps Kratos would wander back and give him a hand. Even as he thought this, he felt ashamed. Kratos told him that he needed to become stronger and if Kratos had to help him in this battle, what would he think of Lloyd? A second plan became apparent to Lloyd. He would have to try and trick his opponent. If he aimed a sword thrust at his opponent's head, he'll have to block high. That should leave him open to an attack.

Turning his plan into reality, he struck at his opponent's head. As expected, it was blocked. Lloyd used the distraction to shove his sword straight into the stomach of his enemy. At least, that's how it should have happened. Instead of making a connection, the fake Lloyd smiled at him and twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding the blade. Now, Lloyd was open to attack and the fake Lloyd kicked him square in the chest, sending him sprawling backwards.

Ignoring the pain, he stood up and resumed circling his foe. That was when he noticed it. The left arm of his reflection was twisted at an odd angle but it didn't seem like his enemy even noticed it. His final plan was to attack with a barrage of thrusts and slashes that would cause it to block with the left arm. It wouldn't be able to hold up and he should be able to land something, finally. Without giving it a second thought, he attacked and as expected, the left arm gave out. Lloyd felt his sword sink into flesh but it didn't seem to have the desired effect. His enemy just looked at him and grinned and then plunged his blade into Lloyd's stomach.

Lloyd could barely believe it. His attack hadn't phased that thing and yet here he was, impaled on a cursed blade. He never knew something could hurt so much. His mind was working so fast he could barely keep up with it. It seemed to get stuck on his mistake. If you could call it that, how was he able to know that it didn't register pain? The fake Lloyd pulled his blade out of his defeated rival and watched as Lloyd slumped to the ground. Blood gathered at the sides of his mouth and Lloyd couldn't even form a sentence. The only thing that he could do was stare up at the cold eyes that looked down on him.

"Suffer, Lloyd. Take your time dying, it'll only happen once."

"Lloyd!" yelled Kratos from the bank above him.

"So long!" The fake Lloyd whispered before disappearing.

Next thing he knew, Kratos was at his side, attempting a first aid spell. It was ineffective because the wound was not caused by a normal blade. Lloyd closed his eyes for just a moment, and could not find the strength to reopen them.

Well, it's not that much longer. It's hard to tell on word just how long it's going to be. Did I mention that I also have this 15 page major paper due very soon, that which I haven't even started? oh well, it'll get done…eventually. Keep those reviews coming and I'll do my best to get another chapter up this weekend, if not sooner.


	4. Ch 4 Reunion

A great big thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! I love reading your reviews. Keep it up! Sorry for any mistakes, I didn't have much time to look this one over.

**Ch. 4**

Colette had summoned everyone to the village of Iselia and so far, Zelos and Sheena had shown up. Neither of the two had been informed of the reason for the unexpected reunion because Colette kept insisting that she only wanted to tell the story once. Currently, the two were fighting just like they used to. Word had been sent out to Presea and Regal at Altamira, and Sheena had people from Mizuho working on tracking Raine and Genis down.

"Look at what I brought you, my cute little angel!" Zelos exclaimed, presenting a box to Colette.

Blushing, she slowly opened the box. Inside was a very revealing outfit, and the first thought that crossed her mind was why wear anything at all if you were seriously thinking about this. When Colette snapped back to reality and realized that Zelos was still there grinning like an idiot, she turned bright red. Meanwhile, Sheena had looked over Colette's shoulder about what the big fuss was and when she saw what Zelos had given Colette, she started yelling at him again.

"You idiot! What were you thinking? You have no respect!"

Zelos, sensing the imminent danger, turned and grabbed Sheena's hand. "My dearest beauty, if I'd known you were going to be so jealous, I'd have bought one for you as well. Shall I go get you one now?"

Any intelligent person would have run at the sight of Sheena's face but Zelos was the exception. Colette winced as Zelos's high pitched scream filled the air. It was at that moment that Regal and Presea came into the room.

"Things are the same, I'm glad to see." Regal said.

"It's Zelos, he'll never change." Presea added.

Zelos, who had taken cover near the corner, ran over to Presea. "Save me, my strong little hunny! Oh, by the way, I have a present for you." Zelos took out yet another box and handed it to her.

"Zelos…" Sheena warned.

"It's beautiful! Thank you so much." Presea said in awe, staring at a gem that looked very similar to the exsphere her sister's soul had resided in.

"Wow Zelos, I didn't know you could be decent at times." Sheena said in shock.

"Now, Presea, as repayment, meet me in my room up – "

Zelos didn't get a chance to finish because Sheena had thrown a lamp at the back of his head.

"Owww…" Zelos put his hand up to the back of his head and it came away with blood on it. "Look at what you did…you evil banshee!"

"Evil what!" Sheena screamed.

Before he was able to come up with a quick reply, a pan flew in the air, following the path the lamp had taken earlier. Similar to the lamp, the pan collided into Zelos.

Once again, another set walked through the door, this time Raine accompanied by Genis. Immediately Raine ran over to Zelos and used a first aid spell. "What is going on here?" She asked surprised.

Zelos opened his eyes and saw Raine right above him. "This must be a dream. My other lovely hunny right next to me, it's been so long. I've dreamed of you every night, so how about we go to my place and catch up?"

Raine slapped him. "I won't have you talking like that or I will further refuse you medical treatment and with the way Sheena is glaring, you are going to need it."

Regal started to laugh and the whole group followed. It was good to be back together again.

"By the way, where's Lloyd?" Genis asked.

"Yeah, I was curious as well." Regal replied.

Everyone looked to Colette. "Well, first things first. Botta is alive, but he is our enemy."

"What!" Raine yelled.

"He kidnapped Lloyd and threatened us, so now we need to go help Lloyd before something terrible happens."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go, Lloyd's in trouble!" Genis cried out.

"Has anyone gotten in touch with Kratos?" Raine asked.

"Yes, I ran into him. He has already gone on ahead and we're to meet up with him."

"Let's go then, the more quality time I have with the ladies, the better." Everyone just glared at Zelos and then he added, "And I guess we should go get Lloyd too."

**-**

Every little movement caused Lloyd to wince. The pain was unbearable. What he wanted most was to be left alone so that he would never have to move or feel again. It was logical to him at the time he was thinking it. Against his wishes, someone was calling to him and poking at him. Giving into this annoyance, Lloyd reluctantly opened his eyes. A pale-faced Kratos was sitting very close to him. _Wait,_ Lloyd thought, _pale?_

As his mind processed this information, he couldn't help but stare at Kratos. Kratos was really worried about him. A part of him rejoiced at that thought, but the logical part was telling him that he must be seriously injured.

"Do you think you can sit up?" Kratos asked.

"I'm not sure, with help, maybe. It just hurts to move."

"In order to regain your strength, you need to eat. You've been in and out of consciousness for two days."

Lloyd noticed how he didn't say he would get better, just regain some strength. "Who was that person, or more accurately, what was it?" Lloyd asked.

"Let me help you sit up, then we'll talk. Hold your breath, this is going to hurt." He quickly slipped an arm behind Lloyd's back and pushed him up into a sitting position. The pain seared through Lloyd's stomach and he struggled to keep the pain in check. It also didn't help that Kratos was studying his face the whole time.

As soon as he was sure that Lloyd was not going to pass out or go into shock, he started to boil water over the fire. Within minutes, Kratos was pouring the boiling water into a cup and adding something from a packet he had tucked away. He looked to Lloyd and spoke. "Sometimes, getting stronger is learning when to run. I'm not criticizing you, I'm proud that you stood up for yourself against an enemy that you knew had the better odds. Here, drink this. It will take some of the pain away. When you are finished with it, your wound needs re-bandaged."

The bushes next to Lloyd started to rustle and sway and Lloyd winced expecting to be attacked when Noishe appeared. He went straight for Lloyd and licked his face.

"Hey,Noishe! Yeah, I'm glad to see you too. What are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to stay with dad?"

"Lloyd, I have reason to believe that something has happened to Dirk."

"What!"

"That's not all. Lloyd, we're being followed as well. The night of your attack, Noishe suddenly appeared and that's how we've been moving you from place to place."

"Whoever they are, they will pay!" Lloyd vowed.

"About your question earlier, remember how you said they took away your energy?" Kratos asked as he began to bandage Lloyd's wound.

"Yeah. All too well."

"Well, I believe it has something to do with that. I'd only heard rumors of a cloning experiment using the subject's energy. From there, you just replicate the subject using magi technology. Sheena will probably be able to get you more information."

"What if the clone finds them before us and they think it's me? They could get really hurt!" Lloyd cried out.

"There is nothing we can do until then."

Kratos had finished bandaging Lloyd's wound and helped him to stand up. "We must get moving. There are others approaching."

Lloyd got onto Noishe, with help of course. Then he remembered what he had wanted to ask.

"How long will it be until I'm healed?"

Kratos didn't answer.

It was well into the night before they had to stop. Lloyd had once again passed out and his wound would not stop bleeding. Kratos started a fire and Noishe laid down right beside Lloyd. He needed all the extra heat he could get. Kratos glanced over occasionally, to see how his son was doing. He didn't like how it was looking. His color was pasty white and his breathing was shallow. He went over to his son and just held him for a moment. "Lloyd, don't die on me." He whispered.

**-**

There's the end of Ch. 4. I've always wanted Kratos to be affectionate with Lloyd…and I guess this'll have to do even though Lloyd will never remember! Oh well, like always, remember to review. Any thoughts, questions, comments? Let me know.


	5. Ch 5 Tragedy

First off, Happy Valentines Day! I hope everyone gets showered with gifts and chocolates! Thank you everyone for the reviews! I really, really appreciate them. I've also come to terms with the fact that no matter how many times I proofread, something is still going to be wrong. I will try my best to keep it as accurate as possible though! Enjoy the chapter.

**Ch. 5**

Kratos sat next to Lloyd and tried to think of a way to get them out of this mess. Lloyd was not able to travel very far and even though they were traveling only a little at a time, it wasn't doing him any good. He was having a very hard time coming up with a plan that didn't involve traveling.

His eyes focused on Noishe, who was faithfully lying next to Lloyd. The fact that Noishe was here bothered him. Usually, when given a command, Noishe would dutifully carry it out. Lloyd had told him to stay with Dirk and there were only a few reasons that Kratos could think of that would warrant Noishe leaving. He wished that he could go check up on the dwarf himself but he didn't want to risk leaving Lloyd alone. He wished that Colette and the others would show up so he could go find out exactly what the situation was. He wondered if they were having a hard time finding them, but he didn't dare do anything to give away their position.

The sound of their pursuer was drawing closer and Lloyd had yet to wake up. Tired of avoiding the inevitable, Kratos told Noishe to guard Lloyd and slipped into the darkness himself. He wouldn't be going very far and he was far more skilled at stealth than this stranger. Kratos unsheathed his swords and began to track down their unwelcome follower.

* * *

"I think that we should gather at Dirk's house. Lloyd and Kratos are probably heading this way now." Raine told Regal as everyone packed any last minute things they would need.

"I told Kratos that we'd meet up with him!" Colette interrupted.

"The people in Mizuho are looking for them as we speak and if they do not show up, we'll follow the directions that are relayed back to me." Sheena responded.

"I suppose so…." Colette conceded.

"Let's go, everyone. We've had a full night's rest, now we need to focus on the more important things." Regal said as he headed for the door.

The trip to Dirk's house was mostly silent except for the small conversations between Colette and Genis. They knew that the two were just trying to keep things normal but sometimes it was hard to do that. Everyone was worried about what could have happened but didn't want to express those thoughts. When they were about halfway there, Genis decided to start sharing all the adventures that he and Lloyd had shared in each area. Raine was amazed at how he seemed to have a story for every rock, tree or cliff. Most of the stories had the group laughing and it helped to lighten the mood.

As they reached Dirk's property, Genis was the first to go shouting and laughing towards the front door. Raine smiled as she thought of the many times Genis and Lloyd had played together and stayed here. Dirk never said a word about it and was the closest thing to a father Genis had ever known. As if on some silent command, a feeling of foreboding encompassed the group and Raine knew that something just wasn't right.

"Genis, stop!" Presea yelled, causing everyone to jump at the sudden noise.

It was too late, as Genis had already pulled open the front door and bounded inside. Moments later, Genis started screaming hysterically. It wasn't a normal type of scream but one filled with many conflicting emotions. Raine, being the best in tune with Genis, burst into tears at the sound and rushed to the house. She had an idea of what he may have stumbled on and prayed to whoever was listening that it wasn't what she was thinking. She ran for the door and pulled the door open. The others were right on her heels as she ran into the room.

It took a moment to realize that this was Dirk's house. It looked as if some angry force had shaken the room so that nothing remained upright. Then there was the blood. It decorated the walls in splotches but the majority of it was in a puddle at the bottom of the stairs. The screams had turned into incoherent sobbing from upstairs. There was a trail of blood leading upstairs and Raine carefully followed it up. As she neared the top, she could see Genis in the corner, eyes wide and staring at something that she still couldn't see.

Colette rushed by Raine and ran to comfort Genis. She turned to look at what was upsetting him and all the color drained from her face. She turned back to Genis and hugged him tight while she cried as well.

"Oh, no….this..can't…be happening.." Colette sobbed.

Raine stepped up completely and her eyes followed the blood trail until a body came into focus. She couldn't stop the rush of emotions that came rushing to the surface. She walked closer hoping that she had somehow made a mistake and it wasn't who she thought it was. Dirk's body lay towards the bed. It appeared that he had been beaten repeatedly with some blunt object. Raine walked closer and saw the blade wounds scattered on the body. Seeing this was bad enough, but Raine knew that he had not died immediately. He had pulled himself from the spot where he had fallen downstairs all the way up to Lloyd's room.

"I think it's best if Zelos and I take care of this." Regal suggested, breaking the silence.

Zelos shot a glare at Regal but then resigned himself to his fate. "Yes, all of you should go outside and relax. We'll clean this up."

"What about Lloyd?" Genis cried. "He doesn't know yet! Who is going to tell him that someone killed his dad?"

"We are going to find the sick bastard who did this and we are going to show him what it's like to die in agony." Raine responded vehemently.

Everyone exited the room and left Zelos and Regal alone. "Lloyd is going to be devastated." Regal said to Zelos.

"We'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it. Worrying about it now will only cause more problems."

"You're right. Why don't you head outside and start digging a grave next to the other one. I'll start in here." Zelos told the chosen.

"Sure thing." Zelos was actually glad for the excuse to leave the room. He may not have known Dirk as well as the others, but no one deserved that.

Zelos stood outside and began digging. The truth was that he had never actually dug a hole in his life but he figured it couldn't be that hard. In moments, the red-haired chosen felt like he was going to die. "I'm so exhausted!" he said out loud. As if on cue, Genis and Colette walked over.

Zelos blushed and resumed working. He didn't want to look weak to these people. Just as he thought he would pass out, Genis asked if he could help. Without waiting for an answer, he took the shovel and began to dig. "It's the least I can do for him."

"I'll help too!" Colette said, trying to regain her cheerful self.

* * *

Kratos was completely silent as he snuck up on their pursuer. It was funny at how unskilled this one was. They made so much noise it was hard not to notice their presence. Kratos stepped up behind the unsuspecting person and in one smooth motion, trapped their arms and placed his blade against their neck.

"Why are you following us?" Kratos demanded to know.

He received no answer so he pressed the blade closer to the neck. If he put the slightest pressure on it, they were going to start to bleed. A gasp came from his captive and Kratos was surprised for a moment but quickly regained his composure. His captive was a female.

"I asked you a question once already, this will be the last time. Why are you following us?"

"I was told to observe the boy's progress." She whispered.

"By who!"

"I can not say."

"You can, and you will."

"I would be dead either way."

"If that is your wish." Kratos responded, preparing to slit her throat.

Before he committed himself to the act, he could hear Noishe start growling and barking. Cursing under his breath, he shoved the woman to the ground. "If I ever catch you near us again, I will kill you."

He returned to the camp area as quickly as possible to see Noishe still growling at something that had gone in the opposite direction that he appeared from. Lloyd was sitting up, looking dazed.

"What's going on?" He asked, sleepily.

Kratos was glad to see Lloyd unharmed and hoped that it was a good sign that he had been able to sit up on his own. Perhaps he was recovering, if only a little.

"Lloyd, we need to get away from this area and quickly. I will give you more of this medicine that takes away your pain but it will still be difficult. We are going to have to keep moving no matter what. We are going to go to Mizuho."

"I'll be fine. We'll just focus on getting to Mizuho, so don't worry about me. I can take it, I feel ten times better anyway." Lloyd said cheerfully.

Kratos smiled and felt intense pride that Lloyd was his son. Lloyd still needed some assistance getting onto Noishe but he didn't complain once about the pain. There was still only one thing that bothered Kratos. What concerned him was Lloyd's paleness and the fact that his wound hadn't stopped bleeding.

* * *

The grave was finally finished when Sheena walked over with red, puffy eyes.

"Good job, you guys." She said. "Do you –"

"Hey! Everyone! How are you doing?" A voice called out.

Everyone froze as Lloyd came running towards them. Sheena was the first to recover and ran to meet Lloyd. She embraced him tightly and told him not to go any closer. Immediately, Lloyd became suspicious. He held Sheena at arm's distance and took in her appearance. "Why are you crying?" He looked around. "Where's my dad?"

"Lloyd….." Colette trailed off.

Ignoring them all, he ran straight into the house and upstairs. He bumped into Regal who looked equally as surprised.

"Lloyd…" Regal said, trying to distract him for just a moment.

"Oh, my god! Dad!" Lloyd screamed, falling to his knees.

Everyone was now back in the room. Raine was watching the scene, expressionless. As Lloyd was making a fuss, she had a clear view of his weapons. They weren't his usual weapons and that made her suspicious. He was carrying cursed blades and the wounds on Dirk's body still had the residue from a curse. Genis had kneeled next to Lloyd and put a comforting arm around his friend. Raine's mind finally pieced the puzzle together and she her eyes locked with Regal's. He knew too.

"Genis, come here." Raine commanded. "Now!"

Not leaving his friend's side, he turned to look at her. "Raine, what is the matter with you!"

"Genis, listen to her." Regal said.

Finally realizing that something was going on, he turned to get up but was abruptly grabbed by Lloyd.

"If any of you move, Genis dies."

* * *

Yeah, this chapter wasn't a very nice one, now was it? I feel so bad for what I've done but it is essential! As always, review, I hold them all in high esteem. 


End file.
